Day 2 Colmenar Viejo

A few comments about our fellow pilgrims. Only a few folks per week start in Madrid. In fact we've heard reports that there have been pilgrims walk the entire 200 miles from Madrid to Sahagun without seeing another pilgrim. We've seen two others.

We actually "met" them on a Camino forum online, after they had mentioned a similar starting day/place as us. The four of us arranged to meet at a coffee shop at 9am Thursday. Izak and Antoinette are from South Africa and have done over 4000 miles of Camino together. (Not in one trip, but over several years).

They walk a bit slower than us, but don't seem to take as many breaks, so we hopscotch during the day. You'll see them in a couple of today's pics. It's been a joy to get to know them.

Today was really quite easy, just 12 km or so, and a perfect temperature. Seven creek crossings provided the main challenge. Most of the stones were solidly anchored, but a few were loose, and several were spaced far apart, making it quite a test for the ladies, with their shorter legs.

As we try to do with every Camino, we are starting the first few days of shorter distances. Both body and mind need conditioning.

A few pictures...

Madrid towers still visible on the horizon.

                 My three amigos

 Antoinette crosses a stream as Ruth
and Izak cheer her on.

 The farm dogs of Spain are huge.

 Fried zuchinni tapas. Or are they pinchos here, us Americans are always confused on that point.

A local looks over the newly posted summer matadore schedule from Seville.

We stopped by the beautiful local church for our credential stamp.